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real value of capital is to know how and when to apply it to
certain conditions。〃
〃And this Mr。Mr。 Bentdo you thinkhe will go on and find the
water； papa？〃 said Rose； hesitatingly。
〃Ah！ BentTom Bentoh； yes；〃 said Mallory； with great heartiness。
〃Capital fellow； Bent！ and mighty ingenious！ Glad you met him！
Well；〃 thoughtfully but still heartily； 〃he may not find it exactly
where he expected； but he'll find it or something better。 We can't
part with him； and he has promised Dawson to stay。 We'll utilize
HIM； you may be sure。〃
It would seem that they did； and from certain interviews and
conversations that took place between Mr。 Bent and Miss Mallory on
a later visit； it would also appear that her father had exercised a
discreet reticence in regard to a certain experiment of the young
inventor； of which he had been an accidental witness。
A MAECENAS OF THE PACIFIC SLOPE
CHAPTER I
As Mr。 Robert Rushbrook； known to an imaginative press as the
〃Maecenas of the Pacific Slope；〃 drove up to his country seat；
equally referred to as a 〃palatial villa；〃 he cast a quick but
practical look at the pillared pretensions of that enormous shell
of wood and paint and plaster。 The statement； also a reportorial
one； that its site； the Canyon of Los Osos； 〃some three years ago
was disturbed only by the passing tread of bear and wild…cat；〃 had
lost some of its freshness as a picturesque apology； and already
successive improvements on the original building seemingly cast the
older part of the structure back to a hoary antiquity。 To many it
stood as a symbol of everything Robert Rushbrook did or had done
an improvement of all previous performances； it was like his own
lifean exciting though irritating state of transition to
something better。 Yet the visible architectural result； as here
shown； was scarcely harmonious； indeed； some of his friendsand
Maecenas had manyprofessed to classify the various improvements
by the successive fortunate ventures in their owner's financial
career； which had led to new additions； under the names； of 〃The
Comstock Lode Period；〃 〃The Union Pacific Renaissance；〃 〃The Great
Wheat Corner；〃 and 〃Water Front Gable Style；〃 a humorous trifling
that did not； however； prevent a few who were artists from
accepting Maecenas's liberal compensation for their services in
giving shape to those ideas。
Relinquishing to a groom his fast…trotting team； the second relay
in his two hours' drive from San Francisco； he leaped to the ground
to meet the architect； already awaiting his orders in the
courtyard。 With his eyes still fixed upon the irregular building
before him； he mingled his greeting and his directions。
〃Look here； Barker； we'll have a wing thrown out here； and a
hundred…foot ballroom。 Something to hold a crowd； something that
can be used for musicsabe？a concert； or a show。〃
〃Have you thought of any style； Mr。 Rushbrook？〃 suggested the
architect。
〃No；〃 said Rushbrook； 〃I've been thinking of the timethirty days；
and everything to be in。 You'll stop to dinner。 I'll have you sit
near Jack Somers。 You can talk style to him。 Say I told you。〃
〃You wish it completed in thirty days？〃 repeated the architect；
dubiously。
〃Well； I shouldn't mind if it were less。 You can begin at once。
There's a telegraph in the house。 Patrick will take any message；
and you can send up to San Francisco and fix things before dinner。〃
Before the man could reply； Rushbrook was already giving a hurried
interview to the gardener and others on his way to the front porch。
In another moment he had entered his own hall；a wonderful temple
of white and silver plaster； formal； yet friable like the sugared
erection of a wedding cake；where his major…domo awaited him。
〃Well； who's here？〃 asked Rushbrook； still advancing towards his
apartments。
〃Dinner is set for thirty； sir；〃 said the functionary； keeping step
demurely with his master； 〃but Mr。 Appleby takes ten over to San
Mateo； and some may sleep there。 The char…a…banc is still out and
five saddle…horses； to a picnic in Green Canyon； and I can't
positively say； but I should think you might count on seeing about
forty…five guests before you go to town to…morrow。 The opera
troupe seem to have not exactly understood the invitation； sir。〃
〃How？ I gave it myself。〃
〃The chorus and supernumeraries thought themselves invited too；
sir； and have come； I believe； sir。 At least Signora Pegrelli and
Madame Denise said so； and that they would speak to you about it；
but that meantime I could put them up anywhere。〃
〃And you made no distinction； of course？〃
〃No； sir； I put them in the corresponding rooms opposite； sir。
I don't think the prima donnas like it。〃
〃Ah！〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
Whatever was in their minds； the two men never changed their
steady； practical gravity of manner。 The major…domo's appeared to
be a subdued imitation of his master's； worn； as he might have worn
his master's clothes； had he accepted； or Mr。 Rushbrook permitted；
such a degradation。 By this time they had reached the door of Mr。
Rushbrook's room； and the man paused。 〃I didn't include some
guests of Mr。 Leyton's； sir； that he brought over here to show
around the place； but he told me to tell you he would take them
away again； or leave them； as you liked。 They're some Eastern
strangers stopping with him。〃
〃All right；〃 said Rushbrook； quietly； as he entered his own
apartment。 It was decorated as garishly as the hall； as staring
and vivid in color； but wholesomely new and clean for all its
paint； veneering； and plaster。 It was filled with heterogeneous
splendorall new and well kept； yet with so much of the attitude
of the show…room still lingering about it that one almost expected
to see the various articles of furniture ticketed with their
prices。 A luxurious bed； with satin hangings and Indian carved
posts； standing ostentatiously in a corner； kept up this
resemblance； for in a curtained recess stood a worn camp bedstead；
Rushbrook's real couch； Spartan in its simplicity。
Mr。 Rushbrook drew his watch from his pocket； and deliberately
divested himself of his boots； coat； waistcoat； and cravat。 Then
rolling himself in a fleecy； blanket…like rug with something of the
habitual dexterity of a frontiersman； he threw himself on his
couch； closed his eyes； and went instantly to sleep。 Lying there；
he appeared to be a man comfortably middle…aged； with thick iron…
gray hair that might have curled had he encouraged such
inclination； a skin roughened and darkened by external hardships
and exposure； but free from taint of inner vice or excess； and
indistinctive features redeemed by a singularly handsome mouth。 As
the lower part of the face was partly hidden by a dense but
closely…cropped beard； it is probable that the delicate outlines of
his lips had gained something from their framing。
He slept； through what seemed to be the unnatural stillness of the
large house；a quiet that might have come from the lingering
influence of the still virgin solitude around it； as if Nature had
forgotten the intrusion； or were stealthily retaking her own； and
later； through the rattle of returning wheels or the sound of
voices； which were； however； promptly absorbed in that deep and
masterful silence which was the unabdicating genius of the canyon。
For it was remarkable that even the various artists； musicians；
orators； and poets whom Maecenas had gathered in his cool business
fashion under that roof； all seemed to become； by contrast with
surrounding Nature； as new and artificial as the house； and as
powerless to assert themselves against its influence。
He was still sleeping when James re…entered the room； but awoke
promptly at the sound of his voice。 In a few moments he had
rearranged his scarcely disordered toilette； and stepped out
refreshed and observant into the hall。 The guests were still
absent from that part of the building； and he walked leisurely past
the carelessly opened doors of the rooms they had left。 Everywhere
he met the same glaring ornamentation and color； the same
garishness of treatment； the same inharmonious extravagance of
furniture； and everywhere the same troubled acceptance of it by the
inmates； or the same sense of temporary and restricted tenancy。
Dresses were hung over cheval glasses； clothes piled up on chairs
to avoid the use of doubtful and over ornamented wardrobes； and in
some cases more practical guests had apparently encamped in a
corner of their apartment。 A gentleman from Siskyousole
proprietor of a mill patent now being considered by Maecenashad
confined himself to a rocking…chair and clothes…horse as being
trustworthy and familiar； a bolder spirit from Yrekain treaty for
capital to start an independent journal devoted to Maecenas's
interestshad got a good deal out of； and indeed all he had INT